On the morrow Saul must engage the Philistines in battle. The shadows of impending doom gathered dark about him; he 676 longed for help and guidance. But it was in vain that he sought counsel from God. "The Lord answered him not, neither by dreams, nor by Urim, nor by prophets." The Lord never turned away a soul that came to Him in sincerity and humility. Why did he turn Saul away unanswered? The king had by his own act forfeited the benefits of all the methods of inquiring of God. He had rejected the counsel of Samuel the prophet; he had exiled David, the chosen of God; he had slain the priests of the Lord. Could he expect to be answered by God when he had cut off the channels of communication that Heaven had ordained? He had sinned away the Spirit of grace, and could he be answered by dreams and revelations from the Lord? Saul did not turn to God with humility and repentance. It was not pardon for sin and reconciliation with God, that he sought, but deliverance from his foes. By his own stubbornness and rebellion he had cut himself off from God. There could be no return but by the way of penitence and contrition; but the proud monarch, in his anguish and despair, determined to seek help from another source.

Den næste dag skulle Saul kæmpe med filisterne. Ulykken hang truende over ham, og han længtes efter hjælp og vejledning. Men det var forgæves at bede Herren om hjælp. "Herren svarede ham ikke, hverken ved drømme eller ved Urim eller ved profeterne." Herren har aldrig bortvist en sjæl, som er kommet til ham i oprigtighed og ydmyghed. Hvorfor ville han så ikke svare Saul? Kongen havde selv forkastet alle de metoder, som man kunne benytte til at rådspørge Gud. Han havde forkastet profeten Samuels råd, han havde tvunget David, som Gud havde udvalgt, til at drage i landflygtighed, og han havde dræbt Guds præster. Kunne han nu vente, at Gud skulle svare ham, når han havde afbrudt de forbindelseslinjer, som Himmelen havde forordnet? Kunne Gud svare ham gennem drømme og åbenbaringer, når han havde drevet nådens ånd bort ved sin synd? Saul henvendte sig ikke til Gud i ydmyghed og anger. For ham gjaldt det ikke om at få syndstilgivelse og at blive forsonet med Gud, men om at blive reddet fra fjenderne. Han havde skilt sig selv fra Gud ved sin hårdnakkethed og sin oprørske indstilling. Han kunne kun opnå Guds nåde ved at angre og ydmyge sig, men den stolte konge besluttede i sin dybe fortvivlelse at søge hjælpen andetsteds.